A Very Real Fear
by fancy white trash
Summary: Elphaba gives Glinda a much needed helping hand.


"I had no idea your roommate was the athletic type," Crope remarked, as Glinda passed by the stile yet again.

"I hadn't either," Elphaba said wryly. "Is there some ball or other coming up, some social event where she absolutely _has _to fit into a frock that even I wouldn't be able to squeeze my non-existent hips into?"

"There's a public discussion on Evian flora in the town hall next weekend," Tibbett suggested. "Perhaps she's also a secret tree-hugger?"

"Not with the way she's pounding that grass!" Crope said. "Does Shiz have a track team?"

"Yes, but it's one hundred per cent male," Elphaba pointed out. "As are the rest of the sports teams, and the music groups, and -"

"And the dramatic society, and the choral society, and the chess club, and the Thursday reading circle," Crope and Tibbett reeled off, giving Elphaba twin angelic smiles.

"This is a co-educational university now," was all Elphaba said, brushing aside the mockery. "Though at times, it barely seems that way."

"You try getting a table in the Elephant and Wheelbarrow when the barmaid has her son working, then you'll see," Tibbett glowered. "We can barely get two seats together, let alone a decent view of the kitchens." He checked his watch, suddenly leaping to his feet in feigned alarm. "I say! We'd better dash now, or we'll be forced to lunch al fresco!"

"It's a nice enough day," Elphaba replied, confused, as Crope also jumped up.

"True, Elphie, but it's a bit difficult to see him bending over the ovens from the patio," he said. "If you'd care to join us, the offer expires in eleven seconds, and counting."

"Thanks, but I'll pass," Elphaba grinned. "I imagine three seats would be even harder than two to locate."

"See, this is why we like you, Elphie, you're clever." Crope gave her an affectionate pat before striding off, arm linked with Tibbett's. "We'll bring you back some profiteroles!"

"Save your coins, I can't stand them!" Elphaba yelled out, chuckling at the reply that blew back to her.

"Neither can we, but the way Bartelo says 'profiterole' is worth the expense!"

Smiling to herself, Elphaba watched as the boys disappeared, before turning her gaze back to Glinda. She must have done at least three laps of the field by now - an extraordinary effort from a girl who'd just the other week tipped the scullery maid a nickel to fetch her a book she'd left in the classroom, because she couldn't be bothered walking all the way down the hall again to collect it herself.

Glinda began slowing down as she approached the stile again, going from a run to a jog to a walk, and then halting completely, falling to her knees. Her shoulders heaved as she gasped for air and Elphaba was in half a mind to go over and see if she was alright when Glinda suddenly rose to her feet and shakily climbed over the fence.

"Good run?" Elphaba called out and Glinda veered towards her, still panting.

"I - can't - breathe," she said jerkily, before crumpling onto her knees again on Crope's forgotten picnic blanket. She reached out blindly, her hand closing over Elphaba's shoulder for support as she gasped desperately for air. "Elph - Elph -"

"Slow down," Elphaba broke in, as Glinda whimpered. "You shan't get any air into your lungs if you go on gasping like that."

"I know," Glinda hissed, still gasping. "But - I - can't -"

"Slow _down_, Glinda." Elphaba pressed her hand firmly over the open collar of Glinda's blouse, her other arm snaking around Glinda's back to keep her upright. "Now, just take one deep breath. Slowly," she instructed, "there's no rush. Take your time."

Though her expression was still panicked, Glinda obeyed, her chest rising and falling slowly against Elphaba's palm. As the redness began to fade from her cheeks, Elphaba removed her hand from Glinda's back to search around the bottles the boys had left behind, eventually finding one that hadn't been entirely drained.

"Now have some of this. _Slowly_," she added as Glinda grabbed for the drink.

"What is it?"

"Just apple. I'm sorry I don't have any water handy, unless you trust the canal."

"I should think _not_." Glinda took a grateful sip, wincing as she swallowed. "My throat still hurts."

"You'll be alright in a minute." Feeling Glinda's racing heart finally begin to slow down to a more normal tempo, Elphaba dropped her hand to her lap, watching closely as Glinda continued to take deep, careful breaths. "So, why the laps? Is there a female sports team I don't know about?"

Glinda looked down, her face reddening again. Idly, she weaved her fingers through Elphaba's, studying the multicolored crosshatching with great interest. "They were serving apple cake for morning tea again, and I couldn't help but demolish three slices," she finally admitted. "Alright, four. And I hate to think what such a thing would do to my figure - don't laugh! Not everyone has the build of a rake like you!"

"I don't imagine a few extra helpings of cake would do that much damage to your shape," Elphaba said, ignoring the dig, and Glinda snorted.

"Oh, you'd be surprised. Often, I only have to smell a sweet for my hips to expand."

Elphaba scoffed quietly. "I wish I could say the same."

"You _don't_."

"I _do._" Elphaba pulled a face at Glinda, who was slowly finishing the tepid apple juice. "Would you rather be so bony that your ribs show, and you can't lean against hard surfaces for too long because it bruises your spine, and you can never find clothes that fit adequately because your hips are the same width as your waist, and you have no breasts to speak of?"

Glinda frowned as she registered Elphaba's outburst. "For real?"

"I'm sure you've seen me in my underwear before bed," Elphaba pointed out, and Glinda blushed furiously.

"I didn't mean -"

"I know, I was making a joke," Elphaba rolled her eyes. "How's your throat now?"

"Mostly normal," Glinda nodded. "Thank you. _Really_," she stressed, giving Elphaba a brief hug. "I thought I was going to die!"

"I don't think you were in that much danger," Elphaba remarked dryly. "Besides, I wouldn't have let anything happen to you."

"But if you hadn't been here...I don't know that I could have gotten back to Crage Hall on my own," Glinda said. "I honestly couldn't breathe, Elphie. It was as if the air was only going half way, and I couldn't make it go any further. It was honestly very frightening."

"A fine lesson against over-exerting yourself," Elphaba pointed out.

"And against eating too much!" Glinda giggled. "And, yes, against running, when I've barely run more than twenty yards since I was a child. Perhaps next time I binge, we can just go on a nice, leisurely walk or something. Or, I can, rather," she corrected herself hastily. "I don't mean to drag you along every time I have an extra ice or biscuit."

"I wouldn't say no, if you did want the company." Elphaba shrugged, casually indifferent to whatever Glinda's decision might be.

"Perhaps then, you'd like to accompany me now?" Glinda rose slowly to her feet, as a clock chimed in the distance. "I heard earlier that strawberry éclairs are on the menu for afternoon tea," she grinned. "Which should give us just enough time for two each, and then a stroll along the canal before dinner."

"There's a foolproof plan," Elphaba grinned, folding up the blanket. Arm in arm, they headed back to Crage Hall, appearing to all outsiders like the best of friends - not girls who'd barely touched before that very day. Wearily, Glinda leaned against Elphaba: an action she'd never before even contemplated, which now felt much more natural than her pained breathing.

"Thank you," she said again. "I do mean it, Elphie. I feel quite silly, really, but I was so scared."

"I just did what anyone else would have done, you idiot," Elphaba replied. "Not even a cad like Avaric would ignore a person in distress."

"I guess," Glinda murmured, remembering how calm Elphaba had remained, and how firm and soothing her hand had felt against her chest, stopping her heart from exploding outwards. Shenshen wouldn't have done as much. Pfannee might have offered her a drink, but neither of them would have actually held onto her as Elphaba had. "I owe you one - really, any time you need a favor, I'm yours. Remember that."

"Careful," Elphaba grinned mischievously, "I just might take you up on that."

* * *

"_Come with me," Elphaba breathed, her eyes glittering dangerously. "Come with me, to the Emerald City..."_


End file.
